GARSTON residents are leading the fight back against a decision by St Albans district councillors to grant planning permission for a new 50-home development.

More than 700 residents have signed a petition calling on the Secretary of State to hold a public inquiry into the controversial plans to develop land at the Building Research Establishment (BRE) site off Bucknalls Lane.

And they have secured the support of Three Rivers District Council which has also lodged a formal request for a public inquiry.

Councillors and residents have objected to the diversion of all peak-time and construction traffic down narrow Bucknalls Lane, when the site is actually situated next to Bucknalls Drive in Bricket Wood.

But residents on both routes argue that they face daily 'traffic chaos' if the controversial plans get the go-ahead, because St Albans councillors failed to insist on a separate access road when they granted the planning application.

Three Rivers district councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst, who spearheaded the campaign, said: 'We believe there is no need for St Albans to force traffic down Bucknalls Lane, especially the construction traffic, when the development backs onto Bucknalls Drive.'

He added: 'Such a move would equal traffic chaos for local residents which could have been avoided with a separate access route.

'St Albans district councillors had the opportunity to insist on this at the time, but failed to do so and have now incurred strong opposition from both sets of residents.

'We believe it is only right that people should have the chance to have their objections heard at an independent public inquiry.'

Councillor Giles-Medhurst, who organised the petition with the help of Three Rivers district councillors John Ayrton and Kate Turner, has been delighted with the response and is confident that the Government will have to sit up and take notice.

He said: 'The response has been fantastic.

'Given it's the holiday season, to get 700 signatures in just a week is great and we have been greatly helped by many keen residents who rightly fear this development and its extra traffic as the thin end of the wedge.'

A final decision by the Secretary of State is due to be made this month.